Package with transparent window

ABSTRACT

A package is formed by folding two halves of a stiff backing together with a plastic window therein. The window extends across the fold in the backing and is of narrow width in the first half of the backing and extends only a relatively short distance from the fold; in the second half of the backing the window is just as narrow at the fold and widens and extends most of the distance to the opposite edge of the backing. The first half of the backing comprises a slit which extends from the window, most of the distance to the other edge of the backing. The package is designed particularly for sterile objects, such as injection needles, tubing, etc.

United States Patent 15] 3,695,417 Stoker, Jr. Oct. 3, 1972 [54] PACKAGE WITH TRANSPARENT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS WINDOW 509,364 1953 Belgium ..229/66 [72] Inventor: Carl B. Stoker, Jr., Akron, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Com- Primary Examiner-George LPwrance puny, Akron, Ohio Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attmey-F. W. Brunner and Gordon C. Mack [22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 64,453 [57] ABSTRACT A package is formed by folding two halves of a stiff [52] US. Cl. ..206/45.31, 206/56 AA, 206/63.2 R, backing together with a plastic window therein. The 206/80 A, 206/DIG. 29 window extends across the fold in the backing and is Int. Cl. ..B65d /00, B6Sd 83/00 of narrow width in the first half of the backing and exl Field of arch ....206/45.3l, -3 56 R, 56 tends only a relatively short distance from the fold; in 206/56 AA, 63.2 R, 78 B, 80 229/7 R, 51 the second half of the backing the window is just as R, 51 D, 66 narrow at the fold and widens and extends most of the distance to the opposite edge of the backing. The first [56] References Cited half of the backing comprises a slit which extends UNITED STATES PATENTS from the window, most of the distance to the other edge of the backing. The package is designed particu- 3,30l,395 1/1967 Swezey ..206/80 A lady for Sterile objects, Such as injection needles 3,334,804 8/1967 Watts, Jr ..206/45.3l X ing, em 3,185,295 5/1965 Crane, Jr ..206/78 B X 3,343,664 9/1967 Poitras ..229/66 X 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures m nimum me I 3.6953117 INVENTOR CARL B. STO K ERJY.

ATTORNEY PACKAGE WITH TRANSPARENT WINDOW This invention relates to a package comprised of a fold-over backing containing a plastic window. The package is opened in a novel manner.

The window is usually rather narrow at one end and relatively wide at the other. It may have the outline of a bottle. However, the shape of the window isnot critical and may vary. The portion of the window at the fold is usually narrow, and the portion of the window in the first half of the backing extends only a short distance toward the opposite edge of the backing. In the other (or second) half of the backing the window extends almost to the opposite edge of the backing and usually comprises a relatively wide'area. Although usually, the width of the window in both halves of the backing is the same at the fold, this is not necessary. It is onlynecessary that the openings for the windows in the two halves of the backing overlap at the fold so that film is exposed at the fold which can be torn or cut when it is desired to open the package.

Usually, the folded package is rectangular, but it may be any shape, the two halves coinciding. Such packages are not novel. For instance, the package illustrated in Crane U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,295 is of this general type. It differs from the package of the invention in that it is designed to hold a bottle the bottom of which is at the fold and the widest part of the window is at the fold to ing or cutting the plastic for only a short distance, the

tear or cut reaches a slit in what has been termed the first half of the backing. This slit extends most of the way to the edge of this backing which is opposite to the fold. The tear or cut easily extends down through the slit so that it is not necessary to tear or cut the backing. Regardless of the composition of the backing, whether itbe plastic or a paper composition or the like, there are no loose fibers or the like, however minute, which might result from tearing or cutting the backing, which fibers or the like would contaminate the contents of the package, as is the case if one cuts or tears through the backing of the said Crane package to reach the window.

The plastic film may be vinyl, polyethylene, etc. It must be capable of bulging out to contain the article to be packaged. It may be oriented so as to be easily tearable, but this is not necessary. The backing will usually be stiff enough to cause the package to remain relatively flat if the package is lifted at one corner, but this is not necessary. The outer surface of the package may carry advertising or instructions.

The portion of the inner surface of said first half of the backing which is visible through the window in the second half, may carry advertising or instructions for the use of the article, etc.

The invention is further illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the backing;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the backing covered with the plastic film;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the'packaging material being folded over an article to be packaged;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the finished package; and

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of the package, par tially opened.

In the drawings, the plastic film l is fastened to the backing 2. This may be done with heat if either the film or backing becomes sufficiently tacky on heating. Usually any suitable adhesive (not shown) is employed. The film may be transparent, or opaque film may be used if the content of the package is to be protected from light. A

The window comprises a wider portion 3a in the second half of the backing, and a narrower portion 3b at the fold and extending into the first half of the backing; the line 4 of the fold passing through the latter. This line 4 illustrates a deep crease in the backing or a line of slits or perforations which facilitates folding and keeps the two portions on opposite sides of the fold in perfect alignment with one another. On folding, the backing is divided into two portions, the portion 2a in which is the larger part of the window opening and the portion 2b in which is the smaller portion.

The line of the fold 4 passes through the narrow portion of the window, and the window extends only a relatively short distance from the fold into the part 2b which is the first half of the backing. A slit 5, more or less wide and usually straight, extends from the edge of the window in this first half of the backing a considerable portion of the distance to the edge of the backing opposite to the fold. This may be terminated in the small circular opening 6. This opening usually prevents the backing from being cut or torn beyond it when the film is cut or torn.

The outer surface of the backing which is the'surface exposed in FIG. 1 may be printed with advertising, instructions, etc., as may also the portion 2b under the film and particularly the portion which is exposed through the opening 1 when the backing is folded as in FIG. 5. On folding, the two film surfaces are brought together.

In forming the package, the film-covered backing may be spread open on a flat surface with the film attached to the upper surface. The article to be packaged 10 is then laid on the area 3a of the film, or it may be laid on that part of the first half of the backing, 2b, which is to be covered by film when the backing is folded, and then the backing is folded to bring the contacting areas of the film together. The package is completed by uniting portions of the film around the article. This may be done by electronic sealing or ordinary heat sealing or with an adhesive if desired. If the packaged material is to be kept sterile, the film surfaces are united to completely enclose the article. Thus the package forms a flat covering on both sides of the article being packaged, except as the article bulges it out. Where extensive bulging of the film is required to accommodate the article, the film may be'heated just before the packaging operation, to make it readily stretchable.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the article 10 may be held in some manner, as the two portions of the filmcovered backing are folded on to it and sealed together around it.

To open the package, the film is torn at the edge 8, or it may be cut a little to start the tear. As the tear or cut is continued, it is extended into and through the slit 5. Then the two parts of the backing are separated, as illustrated in FIG. 6, by folding the two portions of the backing on the two sides of the slit in opposite directions, as shown, or otherwise distorting the package without tearing or cutting the backing, so that the article is exposed for easy separation from the packaging material.

The article is enclosed in film, and if sterile it remains sterile while the package is opened; there is no opportunity for contamination.

1 claim:

1. A package consisting of a sterile article in the central portion thereof and backing which is covered with film on one surface, the backing being folded in the middle whereby two film-covered parts of the backing of identical outline are brought together, said surfaces being sealed together except in the central portion where said article is located, a window in the first of said parts of the backing which extends only a short distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, and a window in the second of said parts coinciding with at least a portion of the window in the first part at the fold and extending most of the distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, instructions or advertising on the first part visible through the window in the second part, a slit in said first part of the backing extending from said window therein the greater portion of the distance from the window to the edge of the backing opposite to the fold.

2. The package of claim 1 in which the edges of the windows in the two portions of the backing coincide at the fold.

3. The package of claim 2 in which the window in said first part is of substantially uniform width, and the window in the said second part is narrowest at the fold and at its widest part is much wider than said window in he first part.

4. A package consisting of a sterile article in the central portion thereof and backing which is covered with film on one surface, the backing being folded in the middle whereby two film-covered parts of the backing of identical outline are brought together, said surfaces being sealed together except in the central portion where said article is located, a window in the first of said parts of the backing which extends only a short distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, and a window in the second of said parts coinciding with at least a portion of the window in the first part at the fold and extending a greater distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part whereby film in the window of the second part is opposite the backing in the first part, a slit in said first part of the backing extending from said window therein and spaced a distance from the fold line and extending to a position away from the edge of said second portion of the backing opposite the fold line but not extending to the edge of said backing. 

1. A package consisting of a sterile article in the central portion thereof and backing which is covered with film on one surface, the backing being folded in the middle whereby two filmcovered parts of the backing of identical outline are brought together, said surfaces being sealed together except in the central portion where said article is located, a window in the first of said parts of the backing which extends only a short distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, and a window in the second of said parts coinciding with at least a portion of the window in the first part at the fold and extending most of the distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, instructions or advertising on the first part visible through the window in the second part, a slit in said first part of the backing extending from said window therein the greater portion of the distance from the window to the edge of the backing opposite to the fold.
 2. The package of claim 1 in which the edges of the windows in the two portions of the backing coincide at the fold.
 3. The package of claim 2 in which the window in said first part is of substantially uniform width, and the window in the said second part is narrowest at the fold and at its widest part is much wider than said window in he first part.
 4. A package consisting of a sterile article in the central portion thereof and backing which is covered with film on one surface, the backing being folded in the middle whereby two film-covered parts of the backing of identical outline are brought together, said surfaces being sealed together except in the central portion where said article is located, a window in the first of said parts of the backing which extends only a short distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part, and a window in the second of said parts coinciding with at least a portion of the window in the first part at the fold and extending a greater distance from the fold to the opposite edge of this part whereby film in the window of the second part is opposite the backing in the first part, a slit in said first part of the backing extending from said window therein and spaced a distance from the fold line and extending to a position away from the edge of said second portion of the backing opposite the fold line but not extending to the edge of said backing. 